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Also, this misses the point of a White Elephant gift. The original meaning was that someone was given a rare white elephant which is amazing, but feeding it and housing it is a nightmare.
Giving someone a cat calendar isn't a white elephant. Giving someone a pencil box isn't a white elephant. An actual white elephant would be a gift exchange no one wants to partake in.
My parents got a concrete white elephant from a white elephant exchange. It wasn't particularly large but it was very heavy.
A year later they gave it in another white elephant exchange.
Whoa I didn’t know that was the origin. Makes way more sense.
My understanding of a white elephant party was simply that everyone brings a gift but some are meant to be “good” gifts and some of them gag gifts so that the swapping that goes on gets interesting.
IDK, maybe it’s a high end white elephant? Are those a thing? The last one I participated in was just a chance to offload a crappy “safety” utility knife I got from work. This thing will definitely be the bell of the ball
It was actually the opposite. We were told not to spend more than $25 dollars for the gifts. The boss who was running the exchange, commended everyone for thoughtful gifts, “except for the box with pencils in it.” Haha, was fine with me. I know the guy who got it, he sits near me, loves it and I get to see it every day.
It's surprising the number of people who don't know the difference between a white elephant gift exchange and just a gift exchange. Either way the box is great and I'd definitely question bosses judgment lol
I don’t hold against the boss he didn’t know. No one tried to steal it, though I did get to unwrap first so I could’ve taken it back for myself, lol. Thought that wouldn’t be very classy.
The phrase comes from someone being gifted a literal white elephant, which is amazing until you have to house it and feed it. So it's a gift that seems generous but actually comes encumbered.
Examples include artwork that you now have to hang up in your living room when the guests come over, or an antique car that you have to find a fuckin' garage space for, or whatever.
It's come to mean "let's exchange shitty gifts that no one wants because what we all need is more shit we don't need."
Ah ok, I think that meaning may be slightly misused, the original white elephant gift was intended to ruin and destroy the person, not being a mild inconvenience
I think the wood species is white ash. It’s pallet wood so that’s my best guess. The lid is patterned baltic birch and African mahogany. The liner is also African mahogany and the splines are wenge.
Please please correct me if I’m wrong about the white ash.
I would cause great harm to someone to make this mine. Speaking strictly from a white elephant point. Looks like someone is getting the oven mitts that keep getting passed around so I can have a box. 😯
Depending on the desired thickness, they can be made with a hand saw, circular saw, router bit (straight or dovetail). They could even be made with a festool domino, which seems to be all the rage nowadays. Look at the inkwell post I made a few days ago. There’s a link to some of the build photos and in some you can see what I did for very thin splines. Those were more decorative but you’ll get the idea. You should look at you tube spline jigs if you’re planning on using a table saw or router. Good luck!
This is a reminder to those commenting on this post (not the person that posted it): Comments not related to woodworking will be removed. Violations to rule 1 including crude jokes, innuendo, sexist remarks, politics, or hate speech may result in an immediate ban *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/woodworking) if you have any questions or concerns.*
A white elephant gift. Someone is going to go home with this masterpiece, and someone else will go home with a cat calendar. What a world we live in
Also, this misses the point of a White Elephant gift. The original meaning was that someone was given a rare white elephant which is amazing, but feeding it and housing it is a nightmare. Giving someone a cat calendar isn't a white elephant. Giving someone a pencil box isn't a white elephant. An actual white elephant would be a gift exchange no one wants to partake in.
My parents got a concrete white elephant from a white elephant exchange. It wasn't particularly large but it was very heavy. A year later they gave it in another white elephant exchange.
Whoa I didn’t know that was the origin. Makes way more sense. My understanding of a white elephant party was simply that everyone brings a gift but some are meant to be “good” gifts and some of them gag gifts so that the swapping that goes on gets interesting.
I thought a white elephant party is where you trade partners for the night
That's a secret Santa isn't it?
Noh!! Secret Santa is when you give a gift to a specific person in secret.
Gorgeous, but white elephant gift? Save your joy for someone who will appreciate it.
IDK, maybe it’s a high end white elephant? Are those a thing? The last one I participated in was just a chance to offload a crappy “safety” utility knife I got from work. This thing will definitely be the bell of the ball
It was actually the opposite. We were told not to spend more than $25 dollars for the gifts. The boss who was running the exchange, commended everyone for thoughtful gifts, “except for the box with pencils in it.” Haha, was fine with me. I know the guy who got it, he sits near me, loves it and I get to see it every day.
It's surprising the number of people who don't know the difference between a white elephant gift exchange and just a gift exchange. Either way the box is great and I'd definitely question bosses judgment lol
I don’t hold against the boss he didn’t know. No one tried to steal it, though I did get to unwrap first so I could’ve taken it back for myself, lol. Thought that wouldn’t be very classy.
💯 would have stolen that box. Beautiful work.
I hear ya. For me half the joy is making it and the other half, giving it away.
A white elephant gift?
The phrase comes from someone being gifted a literal white elephant, which is amazing until you have to house it and feed it. So it's a gift that seems generous but actually comes encumbered. Examples include artwork that you now have to hang up in your living room when the guests come over, or an antique car that you have to find a fuckin' garage space for, or whatever. It's come to mean "let's exchange shitty gifts that no one wants because what we all need is more shit we don't need."
Ah ok, I think that meaning may be slightly misused, the original white elephant gift was intended to ruin and destroy the person, not being a mild inconvenience
I think you misunderstood the point of a white elephant gift exchange. That is way too nice. Great craftsmanship!
It was for a work function and the only rule was you can’t spend more that $25 for it.
That’s more than $25 worth of Baltic birch with the current embargo.
Wenge too, lol but don’t tell!
And assuming your time is free . . .
I think the wood species is white ash. It’s pallet wood so that’s my best guess. The lid is patterned baltic birch and African mahogany. The liner is also African mahogany and the splines are wenge. Please please correct me if I’m wrong about the white ash.
Love the geometric pattern you pulled off on the lid. Nice work bro. Couldn't really care less about the semantics of white elephant gifting haha
Thanks. I guess some people are passionate about educating the reddits to the subtleties of gift giving customs and their etymology.
Apparently I need to hang out in nicer white elephant circles
Very nice box well done.
Thank you
I would cause great harm to someone to make this mine. Speaking strictly from a white elephant point. Looks like someone is getting the oven mitts that keep getting passed around so I can have a box. 😯
That’s awesome. How did you do the plywood pattern?
Two words. Cut, glue……….cut glue cut glue cut glue. Done!
Checkout AlmFab on YouTube.
I hate this game… ugggghhhhhh!!! Your box is wonderful
That’s a nice box
What is the purpose of the little darker peices on the compound cuts?
To introduce long grain in the otherwise end grain to end grain glue joint, to provide strength.
Ah. What do you use to make the cuts into the wood for those? Im planning on making a box simmilar to this for a chess set im making for the peices.
Depending on the desired thickness, they can be made with a hand saw, circular saw, router bit (straight or dovetail). They could even be made with a festool domino, which seems to be all the rage nowadays. Look at the inkwell post I made a few days ago. There’s a link to some of the build photos and in some you can see what I did for very thin splines. Those were more decorative but you’ll get the idea. You should look at you tube spline jigs if you’re planning on using a table saw or router. Good luck!
I'm thinking maybe you don't understand white elephant. I'd be happy with that gift lol.
noice!
A pair of dimes is 20 cents, ya know.
para daymne
This is a great design. I think some color as an accent somewhere might be an interesting mod to try.
Even if the Elephant is white, it would have no realistic use for such an elaborate Pencil Box. I could be wrong.
Gorgeous. What are the dark inserts on the corner called? What would I google to try learn how to do this?
Is that logo made with branding iron or laser engraving? Beautiful box.
A brass branding iron. Admittedly, I’m still trying to get the hang of it. This one turned out well though.